Madam, - I have for some two years been the recipient of a Widows' Contributory Pension, which to date has been paid fortnightly into my bank account.
On November 8th I received a letter from the Department of Social and Family Affairs to the effect that "as part of our ongoing efforts to improve customer service, from 19th November 2004, your payment will in future be lodged to your bank account on a weekly basis" (their emphasis).
Has no-one told them about bank service charges? The "improvement" in customer service will attract a fee of 28 per cent (at the current rate) for each additional transaction, a total of €7.28 per annum for the 26 additional payments. And no, there is no option to retain the current payment frequency.
Who thinks up this nonsense? And then they wonder why pensioners prefer to collect their payments in cash, from the local Post Office. - Yours, etc.,
E. CAROLINE MHIC DAEID, Avondale, Moynalty, Kells, Co Meath.